La Canada’s hopes to repeat as Southern...

La Canada’s hopes to repeat as Southern Section 3-A champion probably ended with the news that 6-11 center Richard Mandeville will miss the rest of the season because of a leg injury.

Mandeville, who has signed a letter of intent to attend Indiana, fractured the tibia in his right leg Friday during a 59-36 Rio Hondo League victory over South Pasadena.

Mandeville was scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday and will begin rehabilitation about 10 days after the procedure.

Troy Nickell of Crescenta Valley scored five goals to lead the West team to a 13-11 victory over the East in a San Gabriel Valley all-star water polo match Saturday at Crescenta Valley.

Goalie Vatche Shirikjian of Glendale had 11 saves for the West.

The Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball team entered the week with a 9-3 record after defeating Pasadena, 53-51, in its Pacific League opener.

Nada Kawar scored 18 points for the Falcons, including two free throws with 21 seconds to play to secure the victory.

Glendale defeated Arcadia, 56-45, in its Pacific League opener, and Hoover beat Muir, 60-47, in its opener.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Glendale College men’s basketball team entered the week at 9-9 and 1-1 in the Western State Conference.

The Vaqueros lost their WSC opener to Ventura, the state’s top-ranked team, 76-60. Glendale came back and defeated Moorpark, 75-53, behind 19 points from Will Burr. Kenny Collins, who had 16 points and 10 assists against Ventura, scored 12 points against Moorpark.

Glendale played host to Santa Barbara on Tuesday and will travel north to play Cuesta on Saturday night.

Stephanie Ball has been the most consistent scorer for the Glendale women’s team, which is 8-8 and 2-2 in conference play.

Ball, a sophomore guard, scored 13 points in a 72-54 loss to Ventura, 22 points in an 86-82 defeat by Moorpark and 16 points in a 65-48 victory over Compton.

COLLEGES

The Occidental College men’s basketball team took a 7-4 preseason record into Wednesday night’s Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener against Claremont.

Occidental was coming off a 59-48 victory over Christ College Irvine and a 115-72 victory over Haverford College (Pa.).

Occidental was led by junior center Blair Slattery, who scored 46 points in the victories. Senior forward Sandy Brown scored 25 points against Haverford.

The Occidental women’s basketball team entered its conference opener against Redlands Tuesday (Will need to be updated) having lost three of four games.

Occidental lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 70-55. The defeat was compounded by the loss of center Tanisha White, who suffered an ankle injury and is out indefinitely.

Occidental lost to Willamette (Ore.), 74-60, despite 15 points by guard Betty Lu.

Lu, a sophomore from Napa, Calif., has made 15 of 32 three-point shots.

PREP ATHLETE OF WEEK

Dave Craig, St. Francis--Craig, a 6-6, 210-pound senior, scored 27 points against St. John Bosco and 29 points against Bosco Tech last week as the Golden Knights opened their Del Rey League schedule with two victories.

Craig, who had been averaging 11 points, made 23 of 45 shots in the two victories.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF WEEK

Blair Slattery, Occidental--Slattery, a junior center, returned from a wrist injury and scored 23 points and 12 rebounds during the Tigers’ 59-48 victory over Christ College Irvine.

Slattery, a former All-Southern Section player at San Marino High, also had 23 points and six rebounds in a 115-72 victory over Haverford College (Pa.).

MISCELLANY

Twenty three football players from Glendale-area high schools will be honored by The Times at the Pasadena Hilton on Sunday. The area back, lineman and coach of the year will also be announced at the awards breakfast. . . . Wally Ritchie, a left-handed pitcher who played at Hoover High and Glendale College, signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers. Ritchie, 27, has spent his entire pro career with the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization. He was 2-1 with a 3.00 earned-run average and one save in the majors last season before he was demoted to triple-A.